Becky Liggero talks to Sam Grafton, a Professional Poker Player and Poker Personality of the Year of the 2014 British Poker Awards and he shares about what role he thinks he plays in bringing the personality back to poker.
Becky Liggero: I’m here with Sam Grafton. We are at the British Poker Award. We have a cool-looking sweater, get-up, outfit, award winner. We’ve got everything here so Personality of the Year, how does it feel?
Sam Grafton: Yeah, It’s a great honor. I’m really excited. I feel a bit nervous about it a poker award…you just got to play well but a personality award that’s like now I gotta be like charming or something. I don’t know if I can live up to this. But obviously it was voted for by the members of our community. So I’m really honored that people clicked that button and thought that they enjoyed playing with me or enjoyed my Twitter. I’m really touched by that. It is really nice. We have amazing characters in British poker community. We got some great people in UK poker and to represent that community is something; I’m really happy about.
Becky Liggero: That’s really cool and I was chatting with Lee Davy, my colleague, and he said that there is sort of a lack of personality now, in community in general. And you play a big part in it. Tell me what role do think you’re playing bringing the personality back to poker.
Sam Grafton: The thing is there are so many people that got great personality. Maybe it doesn’t always come across on the table. Maybe it’s just a case of just being a bit more relax. When you sit in the table, when you’re having dinner or guest comes to your house…you’re polite and you chat and you get to know someone. If you sat next to someone, ask them how they did it. I’m not doing something unusual. All I do 90 percent of the time, I chat with the people I sit with and you get so much from that. The great thing about poker is you meet different people each time you play. That is a precious thing. I don’t chat to people in order to promote poker but people are amazing and that’s a great experience.
Becky Liggero: You are a perfect recipient for this award. You are pleasure on the stage, in interviews and tables. Thank you so much.
